The Singers
Find out about the vocalists from Broadway and beyond who recorded the 16 songs in The History of Light
JELANI ALLADIN originated the role of Kristoff in the Broadway musical Frozen and played the title character in the Off Broadway production of Hercules. He attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, then joined Off Broadway productions of The Lighting Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Nassim, Sweetee, Choir Boy, and a revival of Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope. Alladin’s TV credits include appearances on “FBI,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “The Walking Dead: World Beyond,” “Blue Bloods,” and the miniseries “Fellow Travelers,” as Marcus Gaines. His film appearances include Respect, Tick, Tick...Boom!, and Beneath the Fold.
ASSATA ALSTON is a vocalist rooted in storytelling, musicality, and expressive performance. At age 9, she performed at New York's Apollo Theater, and in 2012, she performed for the entire Obama family as part of the nationally televised PBS special Celebration of Broadway at the White House. While training at the Manhattan School of Music, she performed under and alongside leading figures in musical theatre, including composer Jeanine Tesori. Her collaboration with Tesori included a performance at Lincoln Center as part of the American Songbook concert series.
CARLA DUREN has traveled the world performing in support of such artists as Toshi Reagon, Pink, Deborah Cox, Kelis, Talib Kweli, Amel Larrieux, and Bette Midler. Other credits include Broadway: Hairspray; 110 in the Shade; Off-Broadway: Heather Christian’s Oratorio for Living Things (Lucille Lortel Award); High Button Shoes (Encores! at City Center); Chick Flick; Fortress of Solitude; Brooklynite; Regional Theater: Marginal Loss; The Bluest Eye; It Shoulda Been You, Ruined (SFBATCC Award); Amélie, Parable of the Sower, Robert Wilson’s Zinnias: The Life of Clementine Hunter; Film: Better Nate Than Never; Knucklehead, Maid in Manhattan, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party; TV: “Bull”, “Gotham”, “The Jim Gaffigan Show”, “Mysteries of Laura"; Albums: BlackFolkRockStar and her most recent single “Golden”, released under her artist name “saint cecilia” from her upcoming Butterfly Project: Songs of Transformation. IG: @carladuren
SARAH ELLIS is an NYC-based actor, concert artist, and film producer. Her credits span across theatre, film, dance, commercial, and symphony work, locally in new works in NYC, regionally as a leading lady in award-winning theaters across the country, including the First National Tour of the Tony-Award Winning A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and as a frequent guest artist with symphonies around the country. Select performing credits: original casts of Austen's Pride (National Tour), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Off-Broadway/Greenwich House Theatre), and It's a Wonderful Life, A New Musical (Capital City Theatre). She has also performed at many regional theaters, including Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Ogunquit Playhouse, The Rev Theater Company, Starlight Theater Kansas City, Music Theater Wichita, and Tuacahn Amphitheater. When she’s not performing, Sarah is directing and choreographing shows around the country, including her solo cabaret In Other Words. Sarah is also the co-creator of the award-winning indie film company MT Shorts, IG @mt_shorts. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University. Follow her at: www.meetsarahellis.com IG/TIKTOK: @iamsarahellis
DAVID GARRISON, who is best known for playing Steve Rhodes on the long-running TV show, “Married With Children," began his career as a member of the resident company at Tony Award-winning Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. His Broadway credits include Serge B. Samovar in A Day in Hollywood/A Night in The Ukraine, for which he received a Tony Award nomination and a Drama-Logue Award; J. Bruce Ismay in the Tony-winning Titanic; The Wizard of Oz in Wicked; Peter Dummermut in The Visit; Sandor in the Faith Prince revival of Bells Are Ringing; C. Edgar Sloan in Strike Up the Band and Patrick Dennis in LIttle Me (both for City Center Encores!); Arnold Beckoff in Torch Song Trilogy; The Police Sergeant in The Pirates of Penzance; and David in Christopher Durang's A History of the American Film. His Off-Broadway credits include the 30th Anniversary revival of I Do! I Do!, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination, By the Way Meet Vera Stark, Geniuses, Middletown, New Jerusalem, The Torch-Bearers, The Family of Mann, Terrence McNally's It's Only a Play, Charles Busch's Olive and the Bitter Herbs, and Silence! the Musical. David won a Helen Hayes Award for his work as Charlie in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at Arena Stage, and has been featured in prestigious regional productions of Die Fledermaus (Santa Fe Opera), Candide (Glimmerglass Opera), Tom Stoppard's Travesties (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and as the Devil in the world premiere of Randy Newman's Faust (La Jolla/Goodman). He played Nathan Detroit and the Wizard of Oz, respectively, in the first national tours of Guys and Dolls and Wicked, receiving a Carbonell Award for the latter. David's other television credits include Norman on "It's Your Move" and Stan on "Working It Out," as well as guest appearances on "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Madame Secretary," "The Good Wife," "30 Rock," "Law and Order," "The West Wing," "The Practice," "NYPD Blue," "Without a Trace," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Judging Amy," "Murphy Brown," "Murder She Wrote," "Ed," "L.A. Law," Tom Clancy's "Op Center" and the PBS Great Performances presentations of "On the Town" with the London Symphony and "Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall." He is a summa cum laude graduate of Boston University's School of Theater Arts, and is the recipient of its Distinguished Alumni Award. www.davidgarrison.com
SAMANTHA HILL starred on Broadway as Cosette in Les Miserables and Christine in Phantom of the Opera. She has performed as Nellie Bly in Jules Verne from the Earth to the Moon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and in regional musicals and plays across North America. She has a BFA in acting from the University of Alberta and a BA in theater and film from the University of Winnipeg. www.samanthahillactor.com
NORM LEWIS received Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for his performance as Porgy in the Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Other Broadway credits include Sondheim on Sondheim, The Little Mermaid, Les Misérables, Chicago, Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show, Miss Saigon, and The Who’s Tommy. He previously appeared in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island and as Sweeney Todd in the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance. In May of 2014, he made history as The Phantom of the Opera’s first African American Phantom on Broadway. In London’s West End he has appeared as Javert in Les Misérables and Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Concert, which aired on PBS. Off-Broadway Mr. Lewis has performed in Dessa Rose (Drama Desk nomination, AUDELCO Award), Shakespeare in the Park’s The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Drama League nomination), Captains Courageous, and A New Brain. He starred in Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed film Da 5 Bloods, and in the groundbreaking FX series, Pose. Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring in the ABC series, Women of The Movement, and offscreen, his voice can be heard in the latest season of Apple TV’s animated series, Central Park. He was also seen as ‘Caiaphas’ in the award-winning NBC television special, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!,” alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper. He appeared on PBS in the Live From Lincoln Center productions of Showboat (with Vanessa Williams), Norm Lewis: Who Am I?, New Year’s Eve: A Gershwin Celebration (with Diane Reeves), as well as American Voices with Renée Fleming and the PBS Specials First You Dream – The Music of Kander & Ebb and Ella Wishes You A Swingin’ Christmas. He appears in the VH1 series, Daytime Divas, also alongside Vanessa Williams. Other television credits include Dr. Death, Mrs. America, Better Things, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Bull, Chicago Med, Gotham, The Blacklist, and Blue Bloods, as well as in his recurring role as Senator Edison Davis on the hit drama Scandal. Additional film credits include Christmas In Tune (opposite Reba McEntire), Magnum Opus,Winter’s Tale, Sex and the City 2, Confidences, and Preaching to the Choir. Mr. Lewis is a proud founding member of Black Theatre United, an organization which stands together to help protect Black people, Black talent and Black lives of all shapes and orientations in theatre and communities across the country. www.normlewis.com
BONNIE MILLIGAN won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her role as Debra in Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway. She also received the Actors' Equity Foundation Clarence Derwent Award for her performance. After making her Broadway debut originating the role of Pamela in Head Over Heels, Bonnie won a Theatre World Award, Lucille Lortel Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her performances. Bonnie's theatre credits include: Titanic (New York City Center Encores!), Restoration Comedy (Flea Theater), Kinky Boots (National Tour), and Other World (Delaware Theatre Company.) On TV, Bonnie appeared on “And Just Like That Season 2,” and in “Happy!,” “New Amsterdam,” “Chicago Fire,” “Escape at Dannemora,” and a recurring role as Katherine Winterbottom on “Search Party. “
DESI OAKLEY is a stage, screen and voice artist in New York City, best known for originating the role of Jenna in the first National Tour of Waitress, and also starring in the role on the West End. She was most recently seen starring on Broadway with her fresh take as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Her other Broadway shows include: Wicked, Annie, Les Miserables. Her TV credits include: “Elsbeth,” “Gotham,” “The Gilded Age,” “Only Murders In The Building.” Desi has voiced feature films including the Wicked movie, Dear Evan Hansen, Tick, Tick, Boom! and Spirited. Her original music can be found on all streaming platforms. Desi coaches & mentors young artists all over the US and works as an activist promoting mental health support. Social @desioakley, www.desioakley.com
XAVIER PACHECO earned a Master’s in Acting from New York University. He was recently in Fat Ham at the Old Globe. He is experienced in rapping, hip hop, musical performance, and collaborative writing.
KYLE SELIG originated the role of Aaron Samuels in the 2018 Broadway musical Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey. He made his Broadway debut in 2015 as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, and in 2024 he took over the role of Jacob Jankowsi in Broadway's Water For Elephants. In 2016, Selig played Baby John in West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and in 2017 he played Dauphin in the world premiere of Joan of Arc: Into the Fire, a musical by David Byrne at New York's Public Theater. He released his first album Careful Days in 2021.
ASA SOMERS has appeared in seven Broadway shows, most recently Water for Elephants and Dear Evan Hansen. He played the title role in the original production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Jane Street Theater, as well as the iconic role of the Narrator in Dallas Theatre Center's production of Fly By Night. Asa is also a writer, whose play The Boy Who Loved Batman recently debuted at the Straz Center in Tampa. His new plays Welcome to the Lenape and Alignment are currently in development, as is the new musical Everyone Comes to Elaine's, for which he wrote the libretto.
MICHAEL WARTELLA is an actor, director, and musician who has been seen on Broadway, in National Tours and at regional theaters across the country. Some of his favorite acting credits include: The Wanderer (Paper Mill Playhouse), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Broadway (Mike Teavee), Tuck Everlasting, Broadway (Hugo), Wicked, Broadway and National Tour (Boq). Off Broadway: RENT (New World Stages), The Kid (The New Group), Seussical (Theaterworks/USA), Oliver Twist (TFANA). Regional: Godspell (Berkshire Theatre Group), Chasing Rainbows (Paper Mill Playhouse, Flat Rock Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House), Midsummer, A Prayer for Owen Meany (Denver Center Theatre Company). Film/TV: “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Mysteries of Laura,” “Loving Leah.” His debut album Polarity, released this year, can be found on all major streaming platforms. Twitter/Instagram @mikewartella